Regardless of your age, exercise should play an integral role in your weekly routine to help keep you healthy and improve your quality of life. But the amount and type of exercise can vary depending on things such as gender and age. This can be seen in the different recommendations for men and boys when it comes to both aerobic exercise and strength training.
Amount
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest men should include at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise each week, plus at least two days devoted to strength training of the major muscle groups. The CDC recommendations for boys include an hour of exercise every day of the week, or about 420 minutes a week, with three days devoted to some type of strengthening exercises.
Strength Training
Men and boys have varying needs when it comes to strength training. Strength training for men can include free weights, weight machines and resistance exercises. But for boys, not all types of strength training are age-appropriate for the level of muscle development. The CDC recommends that boys stick to more resistance exercises like situps and pushups, or activities such as gymnastics. Strength training with free weights and weight machines can slowly be added as the boy reaches puberty.
Bone Strengthening
Boys have an additional recommendation of three days a week of bone-strengthening activities that can be included in the 60 minutes a day. These include jumping exercises like rope jumping or jumping jacks, or simple exercises like running. Many exercises also help men build bone, including strength training, which stresses bones and encourages the body to grow them stronger.
Aerobic Exercise
While the suggestion for men is 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity a week, the unique recommendation for children is three days a week of intense aerobic activity, which is marked by a noticeable increase in both heart rate and breathing. Activities like running and bike riding uphill count. The CDC suggests that adults can benefit from more intense aerobic activity as well.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do Children Need?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity and Children
- MedlinePlus: Exercise For Children
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